Sendrin the Seafarer
Sendrin the Seafarer (Born on August 17, 34 P.F.; Died January 31, 44 A.V.), also known as Sendrin the Dragon, was the first Sendrin emperor from February 12, 36 A.V. until his death. He was also the chieftain of the mursians prior to his accession on the imperial throne. Before his conquest of the Vizantian Empire, he was a known shrewd warlord inside the continent. Seeing the crumbling empire fell into anarchy and disorder, Sendrin invaded Vizantia in 1 P.F., leading an army of Mursians, Canides, and other tribes including a huge force of dragons to victory over the Vizantian forces of Emperor Theotakar VII of Vizantia at the Battle of Nordek, and suppressed subsequent Vizantian revolts in what has become known as the Invasion of the Dragons. His reign, which brought mursian and western culture to Holmar, had an impact on the subsequent course of the continent. The details of that impact and the extent of the changes have been debated by scholars for centuries. In addition to the obvious change of ruler and building Vizantia into Amorsuvon, his reign also saw an introduction of a feudalistic government, a programme of building and fortification, introduction of the Sybaris Language, a shift in the upper levels of society and the church, and adoption of some aspects of weapons and armor making. Birth and Chieftain Sendrin was the son of Gendrin and a grandson of Ethelion the Dragon, the mursian chieftain that arrived in the Hibrata Islands, at the northwest of Holmar. Although he was not the eldest son, he was chosen chieftain of his tribal elders upon his father's death. The sendrin historian Siward Boldarm stated in his works that he was also made the high chieftain of all mursians after the death of the former high chieftain. He achieved this through prowess and influence as well as killing other rivals for the positions. Hardly anything is known for sure of Sendrin's life until his short-termed alliance to the Vizantian Emperor Theotakar VI. In 12 P.F., he with his tribesmen and dragons were called to suppress a revolt of the usurper Gerinas. During this campaign, Sendrin became familiar with the terrain and weakness of the Oltes region and how the army worked. The grateful emperor granted the chieftain with a position inside his court. Some of his tribesmen were given monetary rewards and enrolled in the army as auxilliary. On the death of Theotakar VI and the accession of his son, Theotakar VII in 6 P.F., Sendrin expected to renew the alliance. But the emperor did not renew and force them out of his court. He also became harsh to other tribes that settled at the borders, demanded tributes and increased taxes. These actions, accompanied by personal vengeance against the insult he received from the emperor, prompted Sendrin to raised his tribesmen and dragons to open hostility. His forces were further augmented by other tribes and disillusioned vizantians. Invasion to Emperor Invasion of Vizantia Empire Sendrin organized a council of war at his headquarters and in January 4 P.F. openly began assembling an army in Hibrata. Offering money and plunder, he amassed at Ghor (now Gorde) a huge invasion fleet, supposedly of 500 ships. This carried an invasion force which included, in addition to troops from Sedndrin's own tribes, large numbers of mercenaries, allies and volunteers from southern Hetumia, together with smaller numbers from other parts of Oltes and from the mursian colonies in northern Edesian Islands. In Vizantia, Theotakar VII assembled his large army of his troops and allies. Sendrin arrived in the main continent and secured the whole Bashan Peninsula while Theotakar VII marched his army north to counter and arrive in the town Kerte. Upon receiving the news of the arrival of the vizantian emperor, Sendrin sent ahead his dragonriders to harassed the enemies while he marched with the army. Battle of Nordek They finally met at the village Nordek in the morning of February 3, 4 P.F. where the Battle of Nordek occurred. The battle lasted the whole day as both sides tried to defeat each other. Both sides suffered huge loses of men but by a stroke of luck, Theotakar VII was slayed by a stray arrow into his chest and, legend says, was eaten by a dragon. The death of the emperor as well as the growing savagery of the dragons towards them, made the vizantians lose their morale and retreated from the battle. Sendrin did not annihilate the retreating force since he himself was injured from the battle and his army was also in bad shape. March to Vizantia For a month after the battle, Sendrin waited for a formal surrender of the vizantians and secure the new territories, but Vizantia proclaimed the young Alugias, son of Theotakar VII, King instead, though without coronation and appointed his uncle, Mauleon, as his regent. Mauleon decided to leave the capital and went south to organized their defense there. But few adhered to his decisions and decided to make a last stand in the capital. When Sendrin heard this, he marched south and arrived in Vizantia in March 5, 4 P.F.. Upon seeing the city, he cuts off every possible exits from the city and closed its harbor. Closed from land and sea, the vizantians battled from their walls against the invaders. Even the remnants of the army in the south rallied around their officers and marched to the capital, hoping to break-off the siege. Sendrin spent two years besieging the city of Vizantia, whose defenders fought vigorously. Even the emperor himself, Alugias IV fought with distinction in every sally on the wall. The besiegers were many times repelled but Sendrin pushes with his men until the city fall on 1 A.V.. When he entered the city in triumph and saw the survivors of his conquest, he killed every vizantian male inside the city and even from the imperial family. All females and children were sold into slavery. In commemoration of his triumph, he renamed the city Amorsuvon. He then proceeded to secure the allegiance of the other parts of the empire. In February 12, 6 A.V., he was crowned as the first emperor of the Sendrin Empire. Reign Sendrin amalgamated the old Vizantian administration into the Sendrin state. He gathered artists, scribes and scholars at his court, adopted and change the vizantian mythology into the High Gods Worship and also tried to get vizantian scientists and artists to his court. He divided the empire to his followers, the forerunners of the landed aristocracy in the empire. He also constructed many forts and castles in the empire to ensure his rule. Sendrin and his followers exercised tighter control over inheritance of property by vizantian widows and daughters, often forcing marriages to mursians. In this way the mursians displaced the native aristocracy and took control of the upper ranks of society of the new empire. He declared that the language Sybaris would be the new language of the empire, replacing Aphalasian as the language of the ruling classes for nearly 500 years. Death and succession He died on January 31, 44 A.V. and was succeeded by his eldest son, Rhased, as emperor. Legacy His successful conquests of the Vizantian Empire and his long rule forever changed the turn of events of the continent. His introduction of a feudalistic government made it a trend amongst it neighbors and paved the way for chivalry and better weapon/armor making. His introduction of dragons for warfare made the craikan nations formed friendship with the rocs as a mount in their warfare. Sybaris was spoken throughout the western side of the continent. Appearance Sendrin was exceptionally tall and strong, and the handsomest of men, all except for his nose, that was thin, high-set, and rather hooked. He had a fair complexion none-the-less, and a fine, thick head of hair. His eyes were better than those of other men, both the handsomer and the keener of their sight. Category:Monarchs Category:Emperors of Sendrin Empire Category:Mursian